The Republican journal., 1887-07-21

Hill luc IJCIlDcTS VI lue I1yHClntI SIuD knew
it also. And they knew that if Green sold thu
| brands to Adams for 22O0 head, as he intende,
| to, he would cheat the tenderfoOt out of thu
| value of 1900 cattle. Not man of that cul
warned my friend. All leagued to rob him
and the scoundrel Green did rob him. Adams
PAID THE THIEF s5O,OOO CASH
and gave three years notes, secured by mort
| cages Oh land and OH stock, for the remaining
$4,000 He then took possession and went t.
| work.
Shortly after the transfer of the propcrt,
business called me out Of the highlands. where
| was mining, to the valley. | rode through
the pine forests and down the steep mountain
TANKS to the Long Horn ranch. l saw my
friend and gang of workmen busy in hay
| field. l rode to the house, unsadtlled my horse
turned him into pasture and then entered the
kitchen, where found an eX-cowboy and pro-
fessed cook preparing to cook supper. | talket
to him, and then asked if Adams had found out
that he had been cheated.
''Not yet but he will when the fall roundup
| is made,'' he answered.
''Do all the boys know the facts of the
swindle," asked.
Every one of them,'' he replied, as he spear.
ed potato with two-tined fork.
And not soul has told Adams; not a man
in town! His merchant, his banker. his cIu
friends. his ncighbors, all have kept silent, have
they" inquired.
.>pt ttll Iitu cuSS Vi tIlcIIl all HIS spoken
word," he answered. "And, stranger" he ad.
ded. this Adams is white, mighty white, and
| am sorry for him. even If he is tenderfoot.' .''
knew the western social and business law.
that a tenderfOOt must not be warned. | knew
that the only religious belief held by the major
lty of western men was that the Lord provided
them with tenderfeet. and that it would be I'M
neighborly and impiouS to warn heaven-sent
victim of impending financial ruin, and I'M
dcrstood Adams case. Every man who work.
ed for him and who ate his bread and took his
money knew that he was in danger of bank
ruptcy. Ills neighbors knew it. The men he
dealt with in town knew it. And so binding
and forccful was the unwritten law of the
West not to aid Il tenderfoot. or protect him,
that the truth had not been limited to him even.
picked up Il fishpole and presently got absorb
ed in the excitement of catching pound trout.
| fiShed until my basket grew heavy, and then.
just as the sun was sinking behind the pinc-cla,l
highlands, | walked slowly toward the house
Adams walked briskly into the yard and well
coined me.
After supper we sat in his private room and
talked. lie was hopeful of the future. lie
thought his fortune was made. In friendly
confidence he tod me of his intention to marry
charming woman whom he knew. lie spoke
lovingly of his parents. lie was so hopeful, so
assured of his future, that ! could not bring
myself to wound and cast him down by telling
him how he had been SWindleu, and advising
him to make the best of a bad bargain and not
fling good money after bad. | put off telling
him. though resolved to do so. TO this ,av
reproach myself for my friendly weakness.
In November. when the snow lay deep in
the highlands. left my mine and turned my
face eastward. | stopped at the Lon. Horn
ranch to bid Adams farewell. l was shocked
AT the change in the man. lie had aged lie
was thin. 1t was evident that he was menta-
ly distressed. That night he told me that he
had been swindled out of the value of 1900 cat
tie, and he added in tones which betrayed his
anguish "And the notes gave Green are i'll
dorScd by my father and mother. l have bor-
rowca largely of them in addition. Those notes
distress me. may pull through; but if cattle
fall in value ! am ruined, and fear that my
parents are ruined also" We talked long and
earnestly that night and he told with great Bit
tcrnc>> and rage how he had been cheated and
hoodwinked in the club house at IIyacinth
The story has been told to him by Il man who
had Just
TNLoApED HIS WORTHLESS RANCH
on to an English company, and who was lelv-
ing the range never to return. Arrived in the
east | heard from Adams frequently at first
then at longer and longer intervals, until finally
his correspondence ceased.
One evening last October was walking up
the well lighted main street of pretentioll>
western town. l saw a man, slightly bowed,
walking toward me with falterne steps, as
left hand he carried Il tin dinner pail. As he
passed under an electric light l saw his coat
shine, rs thought it was greasy or threadbare.
As we approached each other ! saw that he
wished to avoid recognition. He pulled his
slouch hat over his eyes and pretended to look
into the shop windows as he walked. There
was something familiar in his appearance. and
! looked attentively at him. ] recognized John
Adams. Instantly had his band in mine, and
before he could refuse me ! had him under
way for my hotel and supper. He was 10 long
CT my old hunting and fishing comrade. lie
was very wreck of the Adams knew. lie
hesitated in his speech. He was diifident
Utterly he was changed. We had very good
supper, and then forced him to my room to
smoke and talk.
''Now, old boy,"I said, after our cigars were
glowing. ''what is the trouble? Tell me all
about it,
Frank he replied, ''tle trouble is that I
am ruined. My brother Sam is ruined, my old
father and mother are bankrupt. They have
been turned out of our Massachusetts ancestral
home. They live in a little tenement they once
owned. And they keep body and soul together
with the few dollars my brother Sam and can
save out OF the wages we earn as labOrers. |
work in the iron mill. Sam works on 4 ranch.
We are able to send them $50 per month. They
used to have $4,000 a year income. And this
result he added bitterly, sis the outcome of
loving mother trusting her son to invest her
money. ] have lost every cent the family own
ed. and have lost my courage, and broken my
brothers courage. Green has got the family's
money. That man, aided and abctted by the
cattle growers whol frequent the Hyacinth
Club, has impoverished me and mine: He has
reduced my parents to poverty at time in life
when it Is impossible for them to recover
money lost in great blocks. He has reduced
me from man of small fortune to Il laborer
on days wages, and my brother is riding the
range as a cowboy. The scoundrel Green is
ali Al II<s sc,
out this region as smart business man. The
other day as walked home at noon, too tired
to do full days work, saw him standing at
the club house window. lie looked attentvely
at NE, and l fancied l could hear him say !:
'Ah there is Adams. whom cleaned out SO
Green laughed as he turned away from the
window
Adams was nervous. He
TREMBLED WITH THE EXHAUSTION
which follows unwontcd labor His cveliGs
were drawn. He sat by my fire and cXcitcdly
rubbed his hands, one over the other. and mt
shON intervals lightly rubbed his forehead. As
though to brush away some brain-cloutinS cob
web. lie was silent for 4 while, then sudden
ly turned to he and said: 81 am glad have
met you. 1t is break in my life. Presently
will go to my room and to bed. There will
lie awake for hours, and the spectres of the
my bed. will see my parents living in power
ty. | will see my brothers living in hovcl. /
will hear the low, mOurnful cries of the cattle
ignorantly froze and starved to death. l will
see them staggering through the snow where
billiards. range. l will see them fall, and see
the wolves tear them to pieces. And when
fall asleep. disturbed, drcamful sleep, my ruin
ed relatives will gather around me and gaze
rcproachfully at me. God! how l dread the
nights" he said. and then added ''Frank, am
told that you are writer. Tell my story, to
serve as warming TO other mems mothers.
Say: 'Do not trust your boys with your saw
ings; do not let your pride in their financial
ability lead you to lend them money; do not in
cumstances, hang OH to your bonds, and let the
boys struggle. That is what they are made
for If you can impress that truth on the
mot hers of New England you have done Il good
work, and shall not have suffered i'm vain."
Adams arose. took his dinner bucket in his
hand, and after declining to breakfast with me
on the morrow, babe me good night.
saw him next day laboring in the iron MILL
but lie could not stop work to talk to me. lie
would have been dOckcd in his time, and his
scanty earnings would have been reduced.
grasped his hand and babe him farewell.
Last week | received word that nv friend
was dead. lie died from overwork and grief
and shame. Really he was murdered bv the
live, robbed him of his pride, his peace of
mind, his courage, his hope, his interest in
life. And the rich scoundrel who slew him
and impoverished his family in the East, and
the cattle specializing sharps of his kind
throughout the cattle range, having exhausted
the supply Of available tendcrfcet, are banded
together in Il purpose to steal from the people